At the South Carolina HOSA State Leadership Conference each chapter was asked to choose one student as their outstanding member. The Outstanding Member was someone who participated in all of their team’s events and activities. West Ashley High chose senior Laniya Correya as their Outstanding Member.

West Ashley High School’s Health Occupation Student Association (HOSA) team competed in the South Carolina Health Occupations Students of America State Leadership Conference. The conference took place at the North Charleston Convention Center where 1,400 students from all over the state competed in a total of 133 events.

Student from Wando HS, James Island CHS, and Charleston Charter School for Math & Science were a few of the schools who competed from Charleston County.

West Ashley High students Theo McLaughlin and Mary Johnson pose with HOSA Club sponsors Melissa Sparks and Julie Bamberg at the South Carolina HOSA State Leadership Conference.

West Ashley High senior Mary Johnson placed first on the Behavioral Health Knowledge Test. “Obviously I’m thrilled with Mary’s performance,” said Melissa Sparks, West Ashley High Health Science teacher and HOSA Club sponsor. “She did exceptionally in our state competition and now she will get the opportunity to represent West Ashley on the International Stage at the HOSA International Leadership Conference at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in June.”

A total of ten students from West Ashley High competed in six different categories. Ashley Duke, Keely Barton, Theo McLaughlin, and Laniya Correya competed in Medical Terminology Knowledge; Edith Mendoza competed in Dental Terminology Knowledge; Jasmine Lloyd competed in Medical Reading; Dazia Chandler competed in Sports Medicine; Mary Johnson competed in Behavioral Health Knowledge; and Olivia Brazelton and Alex Ryan competed in the Health Career Display Event. Most students trained independently to prepare for the competition with the exception of Chandler. She worked closely with Kristen LaSeta, West Ashley High Sports Medicine teacher and Physical Therapist, to prepare for the demonstration portion of her event. Senior Laniya Correya was recognized as HOSA’s Outstanding Member because of her participation in the events and activities of West Ashley High’s HOSA Club.

West Ashley High senior Mary Johnson placed first on the Behavioral Health Knowledge Test at the South Carolina HOSA State Leadership Conference. Johnson will next represent West Ashley High at the HOSA International Leadership Conference at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in June.

Sparks was incredibly proud of the West Ashley High HOSA students who competed at the conference. “With it being our first year competing, I think that all of our competitors did outstanding work and represented the very best of West Ashley,” said Sparks. “I’m proud of all of our students who competed and I’m very proud that our students attended many educational sessions and supported other students around the state as well as our West Ashley team.”

(L-R) West Ashley High students Alex Ryan and Olivia Brazelton display their Health Career Team event poster before their presentation at the South Carolina HOSA State Leadership Conference.

This article was provided by WAHS Public Relations Coordinator Donnie Newton

Congratulations to Zhonkia Carter, a senior in Ms. Erin Shiver’s Health Science program at R. B. Stall HS on being named an Outstanding Member of Health Occupations Student Association (HOSA) at the recent state conference.

While at the conference, Miss Carter also made a connection with the “Be the Match”organization She has already started on a community service project to help with sickle cell anemia research and treatment efforts, blood cancers and others similar illness. a project directly aligned with her Health Science career major.

The HOSA Fall Leadership Conference was recently held at Newberry College. Student from Erin Shiver’s Health Science program at R. B. Stall High School were able to tour the college while there and participate in many career awareness activities. They visited an exhibit fair of competitive events, discussed medical reserve opportunities, participated in team building activities, and learned about the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and best practices for a forensic investigation. They also got to build relationships with students on the same education track from throughout the state.